The winners of the 2020 Taiwan Rice Competition, a contest for the top rice-growers throughout Taiwan, were announced on September 29. First and second place in the organic rice division went respectively to Guan Sheng-lin and Zeng Peng-zhang of Chishang.|The competition is a major event held annually by the Council of Agriculture. This year’s event was divided into two divisions: Good Rice of Taiwan and Organic Rice. Only the top growers in each town/township who had their crops’ agrochemical residue and variety purity inspected and approved were eligible. This year, entries came from 759 growers from 55 towns/townships.The competition was judged in two rounds. The first included assessments of appearance, quality specifications, and protein content. Only the top ten scorers in each of the two divisions advanced to the second round of judging. Guan Sheng-lin, Zeng Peng-zhang, and Liu Dong-liang of Chishang made it to the second round in the organic division. Professor Chen Zong-li of National Chung Hsing University, Deputy Director Luo Zheng-zong of the Tainan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Deputy Director Hong Mei-zhu of the Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, section head Su Mei-ying of the China Grain Products Research & Development Institute, a head chef from a restaurant, and a professional gastronome made up the judging panel, who evaluated the appearance of each contestant’s husked rice along with its cooked taste, texture, and smell. This year, Guan Sheng-lin and Zeng Peng-zhang of Chishang were named the respective first- and second-place winners in the organic division!Taitung’s environment is blessed wonderfully by nature. In addition, the climate and soil of the Eastern Rift Valley and the clean, cool water of local streams are the keys to producing high-quality rice. The Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station (TTDARES) has worked hard toward promoting the growth of high-quality rice by frequently holding a diversity of classes in collaboration with local town/township administration offices, farmers’ associations, and production and marketing teams to provide growers with choices in rice varieties, improve cultivation techniques, enhance organic and eco-friendly farming, and share the latest information on disease/pest management. Local growers have also been diligently learning and implementing these new techniques and methods in their fields. The TTDARES believes strongly in sharing knowledge gained through learning and experience and working with growers to jointly ensure a bright future for Taitung’s rice industry.